Oiled dust cloth composition



lil lli lil therefrom.

ESE- t UKUSS Ktttiitlibh blliiiiiiil BEDQQQB ig- (gara e \W.

3,2fi0,036 EEELED DUST CLOTH CUMPQSITIGN Joseph Greenblatt, Oreland,Pa., assignor to Talb Industries, Inc, Philadeiphia, P3. a corporationof Pennsylvania No Drawing. Filed Aug. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 217,548Claims. (Cl. 16738.6)

The present invention relates to treated dusting and polishing clothsand improved oil compositions used in the treatment of such cloths.

Oil-treated or impregnated fabrics are extensively employed in wipingfurniture, floors, walls and other solid surfaces to remove dust andother superficial deposits While a dry untreated cloth will removeparticles of dust or other loose surface deposits to greater or lessdegree by mechanical wiping action, such treatment merely tends toscatter these fine particles to the atmosphere in which these becometemporarily suspended only to be redeposited in a short while on thesame or on an adjacent surface. On the other hand, a cloth which hasbeen indiscriminately imbibed in oil may in fresh state pick up fineparticles of dust by adsorption; such oiled cloth however tends to leaveon the wiped surface an oily dust-catching film, smears the surface, andin a relatively short time, moreover, the Wiping cloth becomes so ladenwith adsorbed dirt that the adsorbed particles are released to the nextsurface wiped thereby.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a treatedwiping cloth or mop fabric which has the appearance of a dry cloth andis substantially free of oily feel, which cloth can be applied in wipingof surf-aces without leaving an oily dust-catching film thereon. Another object of the invention is to provide a treated wiping clothcapable of picking up dust particles and retaining the same in the clothby static attract-ion and adherence.

A further object of the invention is to provide a treated germicidalwiping cloth capable of killing or removing many forms ofmicro-organisms commonly present, on contaminated surfaces so as torender such sanitized surfaces relatively sterile and repellant tofurther propagation of micro-organisms lodged thereon.

A further object of the invent-ion is to provide an oil composition foruse in treatment of wiping cloths and stranded mop fabrics, whichcomposition is capable of conferring the above-recited properties to thefabric treated therewith, said oil composition being readily emulsifiedin Water .and capable of self-exhaustion from aqueous emulsion to beplated selectively on the cloth or other fabric dipped in such emulsion.

Other objects and beneficial advantages of the novel oil composition andof cloths treated therewith will be apparent from the detaileddescription which follows:

In accordance with the present invention the oil composition utilizedfor treating the wiping cloth comprises essentially: (1) an activeemulsifying agent composed of a cationically-active imidazoline compoundadmixed with a nonionic surface active agent in controlled proportions;(2) a compatible germicidal agent; incorporated in (3) a large body ofmineral oil. This oil composition, when formulated as hereinafterdescribed, is readily emulsified in water by simple stirring. When acellulosic fabric is dipped into the aqueous emulsion, the oil isexhausted or plated on the fabric without further addition ofemulsion-breaking or discharging agents. To the described oilcomposition there may be added, if desired, a small amount of oilsoluble dye or coloring matter. In the 3,299,036 atented Aug. 10, 1965preferred embodiment there is added to the oil composition a compatibleflame retardant composition which is taken up in the oil phase of theemulsion and is plated out from the emulsion onto the fabric with theoil.

The imidazoline compound serves not only as an emulsifying assistant buthas the added function of conferring ,substantivity to the oilcomposition .so that it is picked up and retained by cellulosic fibers.The cellulosic fabric treated with the oil composition containing thecationactive imidazoline compound acquires the property of attractingdust and other fine particles on contact therewith apparently due toopposed static electric charge of the cloth and such particles. Thiscapacity to attract and retain particles of opposite charge is manytimes greater than that which could be retained by sorption in an inactive oil film impregnating the cloth. While for different types ofoils or different formulations and proportions other kinds of cationicsurfactant compounds might be operative, for the specific compositionsherein described, it has been empirically found in testing numerouscompositions that only certain types of cationic surfactants are capableof forming a self-exhausting emulsion. Specifically thecationically-active compound employed is a normally liquid imidazolinecorresponding to the formula wherein R is a low molecular weight alkylor hydroxy alkyl group having an .alkyl carbon attached to nitrogen,

said alkyl group having 11p to 6 carbon atoms; and n is'9 to 18. Theseimidazolines in the form of free tertiary base are soluble inhydrocarbon oils and in organic solvents but are .relatively insolublein water; they can be dispersed in water with the aid of polar solvents.With the aid of special non-ionic surfactants in certain proportionsthese imidaz-olines are capable of emulsifying hydrocarbon oils to formoil in water emulsions. From the oil Water interface these cat-ionicimidazolines are strongly adsorbed on negatively charged surfaces suchas cellulosic textiles.

The described imidazoline base is admixed with about one-half tothree-fourths part by weight of an active nonionic emulsifying agent inthe form of an alkaryl polyethoxyethanol containing at least oneneopentyl group. The nonionic compound should be one soluble inhydrocarbon oils of the type employed in the emulsion. These non-ionicemulsifying agents correspond to the formula nlowrnornmmcnzonton whereinR is an alkyl group of 5, to 10 carbon atoms said alkyl group containingat least one neopentyl structure, i.e.:

i (H or alky1)-H G('3 OH and m is 1 to 5.

The germicidal agent which has been found to give best over-all resultsin the described oil composition is ortho phenyl phenol. Othergermicides, including the closely related sodium o-phenyl phenolate aswell as those having higher phenol coefiic-ient such as certain of thehalogenated phenols, have not been found to work as well KUU as theo-phenyl phenol, either because of poorer dispersion in the oil phase,insuificient exhaustion onto the cloth, or loss of activity in thepresence of other components of the cloth-treating composition.

In the preparation of the self-exhausting oil composition for treatingof cloths, the mixed emulsifier (composed of imidazoline compounds andnon-ionic alkyl phenoxy polyethoxyethanol) is agitated thoroughly withthe naphthenic mineral oil in an amount of 2.0 to 3% by volume of themineral oil, to form a stable and ho mogenous mixture. While no fullysatisfactory explanation therefor can be offered at present, mineraloils derived from paratfinic crude oils (Pennsylvania) do not operatesatisfactorily. Good results have been obtained with naphthenic mineraloils of 22.5 to 24.5 API gravity and having a Say-bolt viscosity (at 100F.) of 100 to 305 seconds. This range includes the typical non-volatileautomotive lube oils and somewhat lower boiling range oils going intothe heavy fuel oil range.

The self-exhausting oil composition including the combined emulsifiercomponents described, is readily emulsified in water by simpleagitation. For most effective results it is recommended that the oilcomposition be employed in the ratio of about 2 to 3 gallons of oil(including emulsifiers) per 100 pounds of cellulosic fabric. This amountof emulsifiable oil composition is emulsified by agitation in 100 to 200gallons of Water. Treatment of the cloth is carried out, for example, ina conventional wash wheel, at a water temperature of about 90 to 110 F.operating the wheel until the water clears. The oil is plated out of thewater in about 10 to 15 minutes; the higher the temperature the shorterthe time required for exhaustion of the oil composition out of theemulsion onto the cloth.

The wiping cloth treated in accordance with the invention, leaves asatisfactory sterilized surface on wiping, when the cloth contains aminimum of 0.004% o-phenyl phenol by weight of the dry cloth. Since thecloth picks up 16% to 20% by weight of oil when using the proportions ofoil to fabric designated above, the emulsified oil should contain aminimum of about 0.0250.30% by weight of o-phenyl phenol.

Example (a) The emulsifier was prepared by stirring 15 volumes of1-hydroxyethyl-Z-heptadecyl imidazoline together with 10 volumes of amixture of homologues of:

(x=2 to and 5 volumes of naphthenic mineral oil (API .gravity=22.7),forming a concentrate. To the concentrate was added 0.8% by weight ofo-phenyl phenol and thoroughly admixed therein.

(b) The concentrate thus obtained was diluted by agitation with 35.7volumes of the same type of naphthenic mineral oil to produce agermicidal self-exhausting oil containing per 100 pounds of naphthenicoil, about 1.5 pounds imid-azoline and l'pound non-ionic alkyl phenoxycompound.

In some instances, particularly where long distance transport isinvolved, it is preferred to ship the concentrate and have the dilutionwith additional mineral oil effected at the destination.

In a typical operation as applied to washed cloths of cellulosic fabric,the self-exhausting oil is added to a conventional laundry wash wheelcontaining 100 to 200 gallons of water, using about 2.5 gallons of thedilute emulsifiable oil composition (b) per 100 pounds of cloth. Runningat 90 to 110 F., the oil is almost completely plated out of the cloth inabout to minutes. Excess water is removed from the fabric by pressing orcentrifuging followed by conventional drying, leaving the oil intact anduniformly distributed therein.

Typical marketed mineral oils having the following description areillustrative of naphthenic oils which have been successfully employed inaccordance with the invention:

Sample A Sample 13 Gravity, API 22.7 24. 5 Viscosity (S.U.S.):

At F-.." 305 10G Carbon Residue, percent 0.07 0. 02

When the cloth or fabric has been soiled in use, it is readilylaundered, the oil being removed together with the dirt. The textilematerial can then be retreated with fresh self-exhausting oil in thesame wash wheel, if desired, in the last stages of water rinsing orfollowing such rinsing. While treatment in the wash Wheel is preferredfor simplicity and convenience, other methods of applying the oil may beutilized, such as roller padding. As applied to wipers made of paper,felted goods, or other disposible cellulosic materials of low wetstrength, which are not intended to be laundered after use, impregnationcan be effected by padding, spraying or dipping.

Wiping material treated with the oil composition described can be usedon wood, tile, metal or plastic floors, shelving, counters, desks andall dust-collecting surfaces that are wiped normally by cloth or mop.Wiping of a contaminated surface with the treated germicidal clotheffectively eliminates bacteria rapidly and almost completely, as willbe seen from the following test.

A culture smear was taken of a marked area of a floor by use of asterile swab, which smear was transferred to a sterile agar plate andthe culture incubated at 32-35 C. for 48 hours. The same floor area wasthen wiped in customary manner with a cloth impregnated with thedescribed germicidal oil, and culture smears taken at 5 minutes, 3hours, 8 hours and 24 hours after wiping. The treated area was protectedfrom traific during the test period. The incubated smear of the floorarea prior to wiping developed solid growth of bacteria on the agarplate. The subsequent cultures taken of the wiped area showed that after5 minutes the area was almost sterile and the cultures were completelynegative at 3 hours and 8 hours after wiping. The smear made at 24 hoursafter wiping developed a single bacterial colony on the agar plate.

Comparative tests were made by wiping asphalt tile adjacent high trafiicfloor areas respectively with a dust mop in regular use and with a mopimpregnated with germicidal oil composition of the invention. The lattershowed a continuing marked reduction in bacterial density (40 to 60%reduction) based on smears made of the adjoining areas at periodicintervals after wiping.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention ashereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit andscope thereof and therefore only such limitations should be imposed asare indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-emulsifying, self-exhausting germicidal oil composition fortreatment of cellulosic wiping fabrics comprising a non-volatilenaphthenic mineral oil in admixture with a minor quantity of emulsifierand ortho phenyl phenol, said emulsifier being essentially composed of amixture of a normally liquid imidazoline compound and a non-ionicsurfactant; said imidazoline compound being of the formula wherein R isa member of the group consisting of alkyl and hydroxy alkyl of up to 6carbon atoms and n is 9 to 18; and said non-ionic surfactant being ofthe formula wherein R is an alkyl group of up to 10 carbon atomscontaining at least one neopentyl structure and m is 2 to 5; saidemulsifier being present in an amount of 2 to 3% by volume of saidnaphthenic oil, and the o-phenyl phenol constituting at least 0.025% byweight of the germicidal oil composition.

2. The method of preparing treated cellulosic materials for use inwiping and dusting which method comprises admixing a germicidal oilcorresponding to the composition defined in claim 1, with a large bodyof water under agitation to form an emulsion, and contacting saidcellulosic material with said emulsion at moderate temperature until thewater becomes substantially clear.

3. An impregnated dusting cloth prepared by the method defined in claim2.

4. A germicidal wiping cloth comprising cellulosic material havingincorporated therein 16 to 20% by weight of an oil compositioncomprising a naphthenic mineral oil homogenously associated with amixture comprising a 25 cation active normally liquid C-alkyl N-alkanolimidazoline; non-ionic isooctyl phenoxy polyethoxyethanol, and o-phenylphenol; said imidazoline being present in about 1.5 times the quantityby weight to the said nonionic compound.

5. A germicidal oil concentrate prepared for dilution with mineral oilto provide a self-exhausting, self-emulsifying oil composition fortreatment of wiping cloths, said concentrate comprising: (1) anemulsifier composed of N-hydroxyethyl-Z-heptadecyl imidazoline and anon-ionic alkyl phenoxy polyethoxyethanol wherein said alkyl groupcontains at least one neopentyl structure, (2) naphthenic mineral oil,and (3) o-phenyl phenol.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 892,484 7/08Wolfgram 252-88 1,461,170 7/23 Wright 252-438 2,447,475 8/48 Kaberg etal l6743 2,495,066 1/50 Jones 25288 X 2,509,233 5/50 Kaberg et al.167-43 2,514,341 7/50 Russell 16743 2,544,732 3/51 Shechmeister167--38.6 3,063,895 11/62 Pearson et al. 16731 3,125,487 3/64 Hutchinson167--38.6

FOREIGN PATENTS 391,776 4/33 Great Britain.

JULIAN S. LEVITT, Primary Examiner.

1. A SELF-EMULSIFYING, SELF-EXHAUSTING GERMICIDAL OIL COMPOSITION FORTREATMENT OF CELLULOSIC WIPING FABRICS COMPRISING A NON-VOLATILENAPHTHENIC MINERAL OIL IN ADMIXTURE WITH A MINOR QUANTITY OF EMULSIFIERAND ORTHO PHENYL PHENOL, SAID EMULSIFIER BEING ESSENTIALLY COMPOSED OF AMIXUTRE OF A NORMALLY LIQUID IMIDAZOLINE COMPOUND AND A NON-IONICSURFACTANT; SAID IMIDAZOLINE COMPOUND BEING OF THE FORMULA